While laptop computers have become more convenient due in part to their reduced size, greater portability and lighter weight, they also have become more difficult to balance and use on the operator's lap. Recent designs have reduced the base of the laptop computers to a size which sometimes cannot be supported between or span the operator's two legs. Hence, one always feels wary of dropping the computer from their lap, particularly when typing entries on the integral keyboard. Often the user must hold his or her knees together in a way that is rather tense and stressful during support of the computer. Moreover, because the range of motion of the operator is severely limited when the laptop computer is supported on their lap, typing from documents and/or making handwritten notes is often very awkward, and sometimes requires removal of the computer onto other supporting surfaces to complete such tasks.
Portable desk units are widely available which include a generally planar working surface upon which a laptop or portable computer may be operably supported. These units, however, often require deployment or unfolding of the unit for access to the working surface. Moreover, many of these portable desk units are generally too bulky and awkward for support on an operator's lap. Typical of these patented portable desks are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 241,387; 1,121,422; 1,613,440; 4,700,634; 4,765,583 and 5,143,341.
Recently, portable computer work stations or lapboards have been developed which are specifically suited to support laptop computers thereatop. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,852,498 discloses a lap top computer work station which unfolds to provide a diskette holder, a computer support surface, and a pad display. This assembly, however, is fairly complex to manufacture and requires a degree of assembly or set-up before use. Further, the length of the computer support surface is not adjustable so that not all laptop computers can be accommodated thereon due to the wide variety of sizes and shapes of the computers.
Another example of a portable computer lap support is U.S. Pat. No. 5,263,423, which discloses a table member mounted to a pair of in-folding leg members which are adapted to secure around the operator's leg for mounting. Each time the operator is required to set aside the computer support, however, the straps must be undone from his or her leg, and then restrapped before use. This task becomes laborious after repetitive use. Moreover, similar to the U.S. Pat. No. 4,852,498 patent, the table member is non-adjustable in length which makes it unsuitable to support some laptop computers. Some lap boards are equipped with length adjusting features such as U.S. Pat. No. 297,219 which discloses a lap board having side leaves which are formed to slide outwardly longitudinally along a main piece. While the length of the board is adjustable, the mechanism only provides lateral support along one edge of the side leave. Moreover, the substantially flat and relatively thin main board piece and side leaves are structurally unsupported, and are susceptible to breakage.